What is multifactor authentication?

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security approach that enhances access control by requiring users to present two or more independent credentials for verification. This typically involves a combination of something the user knows (like a password), something the user has (like a smartphone or hardware token), and something the user is (like biometric verification such as fingerprints or facial recognition). The primary goal of MFA is to create multiple layers of security, making it significantly more difficult for unauthorized individuals to gain access to sensitive information or systems. This layered approach ensures that even if one factor (like a password) is compromised, the additional factors still protect the account.

Options that focus on passwords or encryption, while critically important to overall security, do not capture the essence of what multifactor authentication entails. MFA is fundamentally about the requirement for multiple verification methods as a means to validate user identity, thereby providing a higher level of security than relying on a single method alone.